


Allies And Enemies

by Andromedanewton



Series: Anita and Edward (my canon divergence) [9]
Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton
Genre: Anita Takes No Shit, Attempted Drugging, F/M, Threats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-08-07 21:13:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7729975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andromedanewton/pseuds/Andromedanewton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Edward takes Anita to enlist in some help but as with everything else it doesn't go to plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Allies And Enemies

**Author's Note:**

> I found two typos in yesterday's work! I was horrified! I know this is mostly unchecked/unedited but I apologise! I typed it all up on my phone (which is a pain in the bum let me tell you!) so I'm not surprised but I can normally spot them!

Edward, maybe I should be calling him Theodore now, set the laptop running while we slept so by the time we woke his whatever it was, was finished and he had the information he needed. Van Cleef was in one place, for now, and it wasn’t too far away.  
We packed up, there was some screaming, as he promised, with no damn handcuffs thank God, and we were on the road not long after sun up. We stopped for breakfast at a diner and I would never have had Edward for one to play footsie, I nearly choked on my coffee, but then realised maybe it was a Theodore thing I had to get used to.  
Two hours later we pulled up at the gates of a junkyard, or at least that was how it seemed. The chainlink fence showed row upon row of scrap cars but the amount of security cameras and the fact the fence was electrified told me it was something else entirely, not to mention the buzzer system to get through the gate.  
Edward pressed the button, leaning out of the window and looking up at the camera and the speaker crackled to life.  
‘What the fuck are you doing here?’ Came a deep male voice.  
I gave raised eyebrows but he was undeterred, he was in complete Edward mode now, serious and deadly. ‘Just open the gates, I have a problem.’ Nothing else was said and the gates began to open, Edward edging the Hummer forward immediately as his window went up and I turned to him.  
‘I’m a problem?’ I asked, not really meaning it but needing to know if that was what he meant.  
‘No, not you.’ He glanced at me. ‘Van Cleef is a problem.’  
‘Glad to hear it. Who are we seeing anyway?’ He had avoided my questions thus far but now we were here it would be stupid not to tell me.  
‘Bernardo Spotted-Horse. One of us but a flirt and an asshole all rolled into one, you’ll like him.’  
‘Doesn’t sound like I’ll like him.’ I frowned at him.  
‘You probably won’t.’ He sighed. ‘I’ll try keep him on the straight and narrow with you but don’t be afraid to slap him down yourself if you need to.’  
‘Oh, I won’t.’  
‘I forgot who I was talking to.’ He turned and winked at me as we crossed the threshold of the gates and they began to close again.  
‘Then I must be slipping.’  
He laughed, just under his breath but it was there, definitely Edward now and not Theodore.  
We pulled up to a modern house amongst all the scrap, one storey but large and with a triple sized garage on one side and a large barn further back from that. As we came to a stop a man came out onto the porch, waving a hand in greeting. He stood at six foot and was lean with the deep tan of his Native American heritage, his long black hair braided down his back. He wore a white t-shirt and blue jeans with brown cowboy boots and this was an outfit to be seen in, not work a scrap yard in, so I wondered just what kind of a cover this was.  
I was on the far side of the car and got out as Edward did. I was virtually obscured by the sheer size of the Hummer but he had to have heard the door and as I reached the hood he was shaking Edward’s hand but he was looking at me.  
‘Some warning next time.’ He glanced at Edward. ‘Is that who I think it is?’  
‘Anita Blake.’ Edward nodded. ‘Kind of a sociopath road trip.’  
‘Speak for yourself.’ I offered my hand to Bernardo. ‘Anita.’  
‘Bernardo.’ He looked back at Edward while shaking my hand, holding it just too long. ‘I really wish you’d called ahead.’  
‘Trying not to hit any grid.’ Edward shrugged. ‘I was hoping you’d be up for a case, but if you’re busy I can just swap my ride and we’re gone.’  
‘It’s not that I’m busy,’ Bernardo finally let go of my hand, ‘it’s just that…’  
Another man came out of the house, ducking so he didn’t hit the frame. He was the tallest man I had seen in person, even more than Dolph at six-eight, and he was built like a brick, he was enormous and solid muscle. His head was bald, save for his eyebrows, edging dark brown eyes and a stubbled jaw. And he did not look happy. Even more worrying was the fact Edward took a step towards me.  
‘Okay, I got you now.’ Edward muttered and it made me wonder just what the hell I had missed. ‘Anita, this is Olaf, Olaf, Anita. You don’t need to shake hands.’  
I glanced at Edward with a small frown, that was a really odd thing to say. I didn’t want to say I was pleased to meet Olaf, he was giving off some scary ass vibes, and looking at me like I had just crawled out of the ground, so I just nodded to him. I didn’t actually get a response, not verbal or physical, but he still stared at me until Edward spoke again.  
‘Okay, we’ll swap cars and be on our way.’ He waved me towards the garage and finally the enormous man spoke.  
‘What are you hunting, Edward?’ His accent was germanic, and I thought I could pin it exactly, thanks to my dad’s heritage, but I wouldn’t bring it up unless I had to. I wasn’t sure I actually wanted to draw attention to myself with him.  
‘It’s no big deal, we’ll handle it.’ He said flippantly, still leading me towards the garage.  
‘Word is out that Van Cleef is looking for you.’  
Edward froze and turned back towards them. ‘Funny, I’m looking for him too.’  
‘You are hunting for him, with just a girl for back up?’ Olaf didn’t look amused but he sounded like he ought to be.  
‘I’ll gut you from your balls up you call me a girl again.’ I took a step forward but Edward grabbed my arm and made me stop.  
‘What a fun time that would be.’ Olaf growled and Bernardo came down the steps to put himself between us, but I could still see Olaf, now smiling nastily at me.  
‘If you’re into that kind of thing.’ I shrugged.  
Bernardo interrupted us before I could say anything else. ‘You’re hunting him? Why?’  
‘He came for Anita.’ That made me look at him in surprise. He must really trust both of them to share this information.  
‘And she cannot protect herself.’ Obviously that was Olaf.  
‘Actually she asked me to come play. We want to warn him off, that she’s no easy target and you know it will take at least two of us to get into one of his compounds. You want in or not?’ He looked between them.  
‘Do you think that’s such a good idea?’ I asked him, but still didn’t take my eyes of Olaf who was now stalking down the stairs like a predator.  
‘Yes, Edward, she may get hurt.’  
‘Can I kill him?’  
‘Not unless he gives you reason. And if he does that I’ll kill him first.’  
‘Damn. Still tempted. You’d forgive me, eventually.’ I shrugged.  
‘You’d make it up to me.’  
‘What the hell is that?’ Bernardo looked between us.  
‘What?’ Edward frowned. We still weren’t any closer to the garage, or leaving, and apparently we were picking up help.  
'You'd forgive her if she killed one of us?'  
'No, she'd make it up to me.' Edward repeated.  
'I already owe him one for a backup. Or is it two now I owe, including this?' I finally took my eyes off Olaf long enough to glance at Edward.  
'We'll see what the outcome is.' He was carefully not looking at me, his eyes darting between Olaf and Bernardo equally.  
'You already owe him for one?' Bernardo frowned.  
'My finger slipped?' I suggested.  
'Who?' Bernardo looked at Edward but my eyes were back on Olaf who was getting closer, having passed Bernardo and now all but bearing down on me.  
'Harley.'  
'No shit, really?' He looked at me. 'Edward told me about you but, Harley?' I shrugged again so Bernardo turned back to Edward. 'Harley?'  
'I told you, you'll never meet another woman like Anita.'  
'Olaf will never meet another woman period of he doesn't stop where the fuck he is.' He was almost in arms reach of me and I didn't like that idea one bit, I wasn't sure why but I didn't want him close enough to try and touch me.  
'Stay where you are, Olaf.' Edward said warningly. 'You don't touch Anita or she will kill you.'  
Bernardo joined us as Olaf looked fleetingly at Edward then to Bernardo. 'Can he touch her?'  
'No.' Edward said firmly and it earned raised eyebrows from Bernardo.  
'I'll go get the keys for the other Humvee. Coffee while we pack our gear?' Bernardo suggested, obviously trying to diffuse whatever the fuck was going on.  
'You're playing Anita's favourite song.' Edward said, but he was still glaring at Olaf, almost daring him to make a move, and I didn't doubt for a minute that if Olaf so much as did more than look at me wrong Edward would take him out. I didn't need protecting but I equally didn't need another of Edward's backups blood on my hands.  
Bernardo turned towards the house. 'You start the coffee, Olaf, while I get the keys.'  
'I am no ones waiter.' The big man growled.  
'No, but I bet you're Edward's bitch.' I laughed unfunnily.  
He took a step towards me, not liking that one bit, and he reached behind him as he did so, but I preempted him and had the Browning aimed at his chest two handed before whatever he was drawing was clear. 'Look around you, buttercup, we're all Edward's bitches. He says jump and we all get out fucking rulers to see who can go highest.'  
Olaf opened his mouth in a snarl but Edward stepped in. 'Drop the knife, Olaf.'  
'She is the one with the gun at my chest.' His eyes burned with hatred but I didn't pause to wonder what I had done to deserve it.  
'And she will be the one with bullets in your heart if you don't drop the fucking knife. Now!'  
I slowed my breathing and prepared myself to pull the trigger. I didn't know Olaf, didn't understand his motivation, but I knew he would kill me, if I let him. I was determined not to let that happen.  
There was the sound of metal hitting the dirt and Edward's hand was on my gun, gently pushing it down and I let him, taking in a deep breath and a step back, Edward stepping with me and guiding me back a few more feet.  
'Easy, come on, Anita, breathe.'  
'I am fucking breathing.' I hadn't taken my eyes off Olaf and he was all but salivating with anger. 'Which is more than he will be if he comes near me again.'  
Edward put himself between us, used his body to push me back further, and spoke quietly. 'I will not let him touch you, Theodore won't let him touch you, just try play nice.'  
'I will if he will. If not, no dice.'  
He stopped us far enough away that we couldn't be overheard and he gave me a small smile. 'If he doesn't play nice we'll all want him dead, trust me.'  
I let out a breath, short and sharp as I looked into his eyes and tried to figure out who was looking back. Edward, mostly, but Theodore was there too, just hidden and probably invisible if you didn't know what to look for. 'I need his story.'  
'You'll get it. You won't like it, but you will get it. If I'd known he was here I wouldn't have let you out of the car, hell I wouldn't have brought you here in the first place.'  
'It's that bad?'  
'He's that bad.'  
'Great. And Bernardo?'  
'A slut but reliable.'  
'Awesome.' I said sarcastically. 'Maybe now I can get that flight back to St. Louis and take my chances on my own?'  
'You know I won't let you do that.'  
'I know. You having feels is actually kind of irritating.' I quirked him a small smile.  
'You have no idea. Put up your gun, I'll keep the two of you apart.'  
'You can't watch me twenty-four seven.'  
'Sure I can.' He stepped back finally and turned back to the two other men. Olaf's knife was nowhere to be seen and Bernardo was talking to him, his stance defensive, but Olaf still only had eyes for me. 'Come on.' He led us back to them but I stayed a few paces behind him, to his side.  
'You would have let her shoot me.' Olaf managed to glare at Edward for a moment instead of me.  
'I like her better than you.' He said casually.  
'It's the tits.' I said to Bernardo's curious raised eyebrow and he burst out laughing.  
'I think I'm going to enjoy this job.' He replied.  
'Makes one of us.' Edward said. 

Coffee was made and poured by the time Edward and I had moved all the bags from one Hummer to another. Bernardo put away the original one then joined us all in his modern kitchen. Olaf had shoved a mug at me across the centre island as we walked in and I looked at it dubiously. He was being very specific and my mug was a completely different pattern to everyone else's. Edward noticed too as he took it from in front of me, tipped it down the sink, then got a fresh mug, poured into it and passed me not that one but one of the others. Someone wasn't taking any chances. Olaf said nothing, just sipped his own mug which looked far too small for his hands.  
'What's the plan?' Bernardo asked into the awkward silence as soon as he came through the door I assumed from the garage.  
'I have it all on my laptop.' Edward indicated to the one bag he had brought in with him. 'Van Cleef is at his camp about a hundred miles from here. We avoid his goons and head up there to pay him a little visit. I need the two of you to help us get in but Anita and I need to face him alone.'  
'Are we hitting up Santa Fe first for supplies?'  
Edward shook his head. 'Santa Fe is compromised.'  
'What about Donna?'  
'We broke up.' I looked between them. Was I the only one who didn't know about that?  
'Shame. You were a cute couple.' He grinned and Edward gave him a look that would have killed him if it could have.  
'You need to warn them.' I said, still not touching my coffee, no longer trusting it. 'About your evil twin.'  
Edward snorted. 'Oh yeah, you'll love this. Van Cleef had someone facially modified to look like me. Went for Anita with him.'  
'No shit? How do we know if it's you or him?'  
'He's maybe an inch shorter.' I said. 'But he's damn near identical.' I didn't add I now knew where all of Edward's scars were and I didn't remember his doppelgänger having the same ones.  
'Which is why we are all going to wear GPS locators, so we know where each of the other are. You'll know if it's me.' He threw some small button sized devices on the countertop.  
'Good plan.' Bernardo nodded. 'What else do we have?'  
'Coordinates and blueprints, not that they reveal much, and an aerial map that is probably highly inaccurate. We'll do a full recon when we're based nearer.'  
'So gear up and head out?'  
'Yup.'  
Olaf left the room without a word, I assumed to get ready or whatever, but if he happened to decide to leave instead I wouldn't mourn. 'I'll go pack and change.' Bernardo said as he walked around the island beside me. 'You want to help me, Blake?'  
'Afraid you won't find it?' I cast him a sideways glance.  
'Ouch.' He pulled a face. 'You wouldn't be disappointed.'  
'I'm already disappointed.' I turned away from him in disinterest.  
He didn't comment again and once we were alone Edward took a sip of my coffee before offering it to me. 'Trust me, if he drugged the whole pot we would all be out by now.'  
'That's not reassuring.' I took the coffee and sipped it. It wasn't bad but I'd had better.  
'It isn't meant to be. Come take a walk with me.'  
I put the mug on the counter and followed him back out to the front of the house and out into the junkyard. He made sure we were out of view from the windows of the house then turned to me with a worried look on his face. 'I shouldn't have brought you here.'  
'Because of Olaf?' I checked and he nodded.  
'I'm glad you stood up to him but he's a woman hater, seriously. Anyone else you ever thought was sexist will pale in comparison. His is a deep seated hatred of the entire gender.' He sighed. 'And to make matters worse you fit his victim profile exactly.'  
'Victim...what?' I gave him a look of pure horror. 'You know, Edward or Theodore, hell, even fucking Ted, had better start talking or I'm on that flight home.'  
He rubbed his hand over his chin and that gesture alone had me even more on edge. 'He's a convicted rapist. Likes petite women with long dark hair. And has a serious kink for blood and violence.'  
'Fuck. What?'  
'And he likes to brag about the rape.'  
I shook my head, not believing what I was hearing. 'Why didn't you let me shoot him?'  
'Bernardo wouldn't appreciate us killing him on his property.'  
'And he just tried to drug me?' I glared at him. 'Can't we uninvite him on this trip?'  
'He'll be a help.'  
'He's a fricking nut!' I waved my hand back towards the house. 'You can't watch me all the time, Edward, no matter what you say! And if he comes near me I will kill him! I mean that.'  
'Good. Because that's what will keep you alive.'  
'Fuck.' I grumbled and turned on my heel, heading back the way we came.  
'Where are you going?' He called, following me but not closing the distance.  
'To sulk in the car.' I called back.  
He evidently didn't like that idea as he jogged up and caught my arm. 'Just try not to antagonise him but don't take his shit. It'll be fine.'  
'It won't be fine and you're an idiot if you think so.'  
'I'll make sure it's fine.'  
'If I kill him it'll be fine.' I let him stop me again.  
'At least wait until you're provoked.'  
'More than being drugged and having a knife pulled on me?'  
'To be fair you drew first.'  
'Don't protect him!' I poked him in the chest. 'If it comes to me or him I choose me and it's not going to take much to provoke me.'  
Edward glanced up at the nearest security camera and back to me. 'Follow me.'  
I rolled my eyes but did so until we were behind the barn and he moved me to stand a foot further towards the wall before looking around at several angles. Once he was satisfied he stepped up to me, cupped my face in his hands and kissed me. I whimpered at his lips on mine after so long without and when we parted he left next to no space between us. 'This is the only blind spot on the cameras, I know because I helped fit them. I need you to listen to me.' I nodded, unable to speak for the moment. 'We need Olaf alive for this, you can't just bump off my backup or none of those I trust will trust you. Get through this job and you never have to see him again, get Van Cleef off your back and he is gone, but I'd rather we didn't have to kill him.'  
'You keep saying we.'  
'Because if you start it I'll have to help you finish it to make sure he can't come after you again.'  
I stared at him, knowing he meant every word, and that meant a lot. 'Thank you.' I said simply and he pulled me to him, holding me close. 'So if it's not too stupid a question,' I asked quietly, 'if we're travelling with them, when do I get to play with Theodore again?'  
My back hit the barn with a jolt and his lips crashed into mine, his hips grinding me into the wood behind me. He ate at me hungrily until I could barely breathe and when he broke away we were both panting as though we had been doing more.  
'Can't watch over you in separate rooms, can I?' He pointed out with a small smile.


End file.
